A Hero's Redemption
by Adimaro Yosuo
Summary: When Hal Jordan unexpectedly shows up at the JLA headquarters having served his time as the Specter wating to rejoin the League and regain his ring most accept that he's changed but Superman has his doubts... and rightfully so.


"Nothing like the book at all." The Martian Manhunter said watching a movie on the TV screen. He stood up and walked to the small refrigerator when suddenly he saw a blur go past him to it. Wally West or more commonly, The Flash. "Hey, hey J'onn! Too slow too get the last Sprite!" Flash exclaimed. Just a normal midnight watch for the Justice League of America. Currently their members were The Martian Manhunter, Superman, Batman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, The Green Arrow, Hawkgirl, and The Green Lantern. Of course there were two Lanterns. John Stewart and Kyle Rayner. Both were members. "Y'know, soda will just weigh you down Flash." John muttered. "Hey I gotta have my pop." Flash replied. The other Green Lantern, Kyle, entered the room now. "Just finished my comic strip. So what's everyone up to?" Kyle asked. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. You'd think I'd enjoy not having any crime but I'm bored." John said. "And now I think things just got interesting. Someone just entered the station." J'onn said staring intently at the screen. "Apparently it's being identified as the Green Lantern." He finished. "But that can't be. No Green Lanterns have a key other than Kyle and I and we're both here." John said. "I'm scanning." The Manhunter replied. "This can't be." J'onn said. "What Martian-man? What is it?" Wally interrogated while moving at the speed of light all around the Manhunter in his chair. "That looks like." John said but before he could finish he was interrupted by a familiar voice. "Hal Jordan." The man of the same name said. "Hal?" Kyle said. "I thought you were. dead frankly. You sacrificed yourself to destroy the Sun-Eater." Hal laughed. "Yeah but then my spirit was brought back as the Specter. Then after I fulfilled my 'good deeds' they let me return to my body." He said. "I got here using my power from the central power battery as Parallax. I released it into the battery when I got out of space." The rest of the league now entered the watch room. "Hal? HAL!" Green Arrow exclaimed running to him. "Wait a minute. You aren't here to try and destroy us again are you?" Ollie asked. "No, no. I realize my mistakes now. I'm truly sorry. I just wish to return to the league and return to being a Green Lantern." Hal said. "Out of the question!" A voice broke through the room. The figure of Ganthet appeared in the doorway. "No. There's no way you can wear the ring again. Not after what you did." Ganthet said. "Ah come on Ganthet. He wants redemption. He's sorry for it all. Just give him the ring back." Oliver pleaded. "Arrow this has nothing to do with you. This has to do with the crimes committed by that man, Hal Jordan." Ganthet refused. "Hey we all deserve a second chance if they thought he had served his time as the Specter to be returned to this world who are we to judge. Obviously he was never all bad. And he's only human. After what happened to him how can you blame him for his actions? Some of it was off the deep end but He deserves the chance to pull his life back together. It's been ten years Ganthet and if he's finally been able to get through this why can't you Ganthet?" Flash said. "Well." Ganthet began to mull the idea over. "Hey we need more people for the Corps anyway and why not have the best GL ever on our side? I'll gladly give him my ring. J'onn can duplicate me one." Kyle said. "No. I gave you that ring years ago and I meant it when I said it was yours. Ollie, do you still have my old ring I gave you just in case?" Hal asked. "Sure do Hal. I'll go get it for you too." Ollie replied. "All right. I will give you a chance Hal. One chance. You blow this one and you'll never get this ring again." Ganthet said. "Thank you." Hal said. "There's still something strange about him. He's not the same man I knew." Superman thought. "C'mon Hal, I'll show your quarters." Ollie said leading him out of the room. "Something very strange." Superman thought again.  
  
"Why are you doing this. Sinestro!?" A voice exclaimed. The ugly red alien walked over to the table where the voice came from. On it was another Hal Jordan. "Hahahahaha. To invade the Justice League of course Hal. I'm crazier than you previously thought. And now that Clayface is in with them it's just a matter of time. Now goodnight Hal. Have fun in dreamland." Sinestro said while injecting something into Hal's arm. Hal tried to fight out of the restraints but failed and fell into a sleep. Sinestro walked to the door and turned off the light. He then walked out of the room, closing the vaulted door.  
  
That night Hal continued to reminisce in his dreams on the fateful event earlier that day. "Hal Jordan. For the acts of courage and good will bestowed by you upon tyranny, this council bestows on you, new life so that you may no more wander aimlessly as The Specter. You are free to go." A dark voice in the shadows said. The remembrance skipped to Hal flying through space with his power from the central power battery that was left in him. He would release it when he made it to the Justice League Space Station. Before he could make it Sinestro intercepted him. It continued to show Sinestro pounding away at him while he could do nothing against the alien with the yellow power ring except fend against the rings phenomenal power with his bare fists. Now more than ever he could use his power ring but then it couldn't help against yellow anyway. The final part of the dream concluded with the Secret Society of Super Villains standing over Hal as Clayface shape shifted into Hal Jordan who set course for the Justice League headquarters. The next day Clayface Hal Jordan was practicing his new power ring in the headquarters training ground. He wasn't very good at it and couldn't will the ring into doing much of anything. Frustrated, he gave up concluding that he wouldn't have to keep up this charade for long. Superman watched from above in the monitor ground. "This is not Hal Jordan. Hal is too skilled with the ring. Unfortunately there's no way for me to prove it to the others. He can do basic constructs and that will serve good enough in their minds. I'll have to investigate further." He thought. Clayface looked up at Superman and glared then left the room.  
  
"You won't get away with this Sinestro." Hal sighed. "Oh but I will. You see nobody is expecting you back or they already think you are back. Even Ganthet is fooled. And with you strapped down here you aren't going anywhere. This plan will succeed. Goodbye now Hal. I'll be back but it's Cheetarah's turn for watch duty." Sinestro replied and left the room. Cheetarah entered. "Hello Hal. You weren't awake last time." She remarked. "Come here Cheetarah. You know, I always thought cats were a beautiful animal." He said. "Oh really?" She said not buying into it. "Yes. Why don't you come here and let me. 'pet the kitty'." He flirted. She walked towards him but when she went to kiss him she scratched his face. "Nice try but Batman already tried that when we captured him before." She laughed. "If I was trying to seduce you really. With anyone else they wouldn't have been distracted but." Hal said as he launched a punch towards Cheetarah knocking her to the wall. "You were easy enough distracted to allow me to take the keys from you while you weren't paying attention. That's your undoing." He finished. She stood up and wiped a drop of blood from her mouth. "So you like to play rough Hal Jordan? Then bring it on!" Cheetarah said. She launched forward but as she pounced on him he simply fell to the ground and kicked her in the stomach launching her into the wall and knocking her out. "I hate to hit a woman but then this is no longer a woman but a cat." Hal said to himself as he snuck through the vaulted door with the keys. He quickly rolled behind some box crates to avoid being seen by Lex Luthor who was passing through the hall. "At times like these I wish I hadn't been drained of my central power battery power by Sinestro here. But I was just going to release it to power the new one. Guess I'm on my own this time." He thought to himself. 


End file.
